Dsh ??

[ram95]

The point is...height restriction un-needed

All we here is BASS-BASS-BASS. I know of 44xs drivers that do not run at 0.
In fact they are fairly deep. Pro drivers i believe are not at 0. Not hearing
complaints out of there cases if they run high or low. If Sid says it's not safe
then you have a problem. FIX THE CASES!!!!!!

If you run the Bass Machines Tohatsu in D Stock, there is no need to re-work the shape of the gearfoot. On some boats, the user finds it works great at 5/8" or 3/4" below bottom... good for them. On other boats it might run better at 1/4 or even zero. Depends on boat design.

Sid says the user should carefully test the outfit to make sure it is set where it handles poperly. The Wartinger Report sights this fact.

Why the SORC Chairman refuses to accept the facts is incomprenhendible... but he does... like the osterich, his head is deep in the sand.

alex

[propnuts]

Not true

The point is this: The 1/2" restriction is a totally arbitrary dimension. There is absolutely NO foundation of support for it. So, with that in mind, a person ought to be able to set his/her engine where it runs best on their boat.

We all must refrain from imposing restraints just because WE think it's a good idea. In the meantime, WE can impose all the restraints on ourselves which we feel good about.

Alex

You and I both know Alex that the 1/2" is the result of a parity decision. You might not like it (I might not either) but it was NOT a number pulled out of thin air.

[ram95]

you are correct in that...

You and I both know Alex that the 1/2" is the result of a parity decision. You might not like it (I might not either) but it was NOT a number pulled out of thin air.

You're right, it was a "parity decision"... made without a leg to stand on and in direct conflict with actual recorded experience. Instead of seeing what the engine was going to do, the restrictions were slapped on it, effectively stifling sales. I realize I'm preaching to the choir here, but I see the same mentality in other decision-making and it's not helping our sport.

I type this stuff so that others might read it and perhaps find some logic to it. So, it's good to have your comments.

Alex

[csh2z]

This a difficult issue

For those that raced Stock Outboard through the seventies and eighties, history teaches us that unrestricted transom heights are absolutely more dangerous than restricted transom heights. Many of us have the scars to prove it.
The evolution of our sport during that time frame was quick and dramatic. More innovative boat designs were becoming available from many young builders all over the country. Every year your boat became obsoleted by others trying to gain that little edge to get around the course a little bit faster.
Back yard motor mechanics were being outdone by engineers and expert machinists.
New prop builders during that time were popping up all over the place, coast to coast people were testing more, experimenting more, trying new things. "Shove another 1/4" under that baby, and lets see how fast this thing can go."
Eventually, we realized that we exceeded our limits. People started getting hurt, some very very badly. Safety soon became an important issue. New better life jackets, full faced helmets, kevlars, kill switches, full butterflies, no open toed shoes, boat inspections, well equipped safety boats with EMT's, all contributed to a safer sport. But the most effective change that occurred was transom height limitations. You no longer had to be set up, out of control, to win. Racing became more competitive than ever before. The boats were easier to drive which leveled the playing field between the few "great drivers and the rest of the field". Racing was fun again.
Where are we now. We have this debate. One side says "learn from history it always tells the truth". The other side says "believe in the continuation of evolution and embrace new technology".
My opinion (even though nobody asked for it). If there is evidence that a 0" transom height is currently being run safely in other organizations and categories and this rule is stopping members from other organizations or categories from competing in the APBA Stock Outboard DSH class,

CHANGE THE RULE! It is hurting our growth and the bottom line of the manufacturer. We can afford to lose neither.

[jeff55v]

Brian, Don't sweat the propshaft height issue.
Buy a Merc 44xs. They cost half the price! Clearly, Stock Outboard has no plans to ever obsolete the Merc engine. EVER! The parody committee will insure the Merc will always be competitive with the newer Tohatsu. So, why buy the more expensive motor? Come to think of it, why would anybody buy a Tohatsu?

I need a beer.

[jeff55v]

I've gotten a few sour Emails recently. Some people don't follow my logic. The point I was trying to make in my previous post is this: Potential buyers need a reason to buy a new motor. I hear the phrase "engine of choice" thrown around a lot. As if those words themselves somehow support a new engine manufacturer. In a two engine class, there is only one "engine of choice", and that is the engine that yields an advantage on the race course. Nobody's gonna pony up the big bucks to buy a new motor just because it looks purdy in the motorbox.
It was always my belief that a two engine class was necessary during a transitional period between old engines and new engines. I never thought that transitional period would last indefinitely. Meanwhile the engine manufacturers (Bass and Sidewinder) will be whithering away.

[daveracerdsh]

Dsh

Two items here....I think John Runne hit it right on the head.....good post. And Jeff....I am a little peaked that you would say that about the Tohatsu D motor...the last 44XS was produced in 1993....going on 20 years. Every race that I attend where the D class is running 44XS motors end up on the end of a tow line....something that has been going on for years. A good deal of the parts are nla....just try and find a new set of cracked rods.....I had a new motor (44XS) built in 2009, spent a ton of money on it, and had a heck of a time finding good parts for it.....and I have been running the motor (or did) for 20 years. What about the new racer just getting started? Do we really want to push that person into a 20 year old unreliable motor? If the 44XS was still being produced by Mercury, I would say heck ya....go for it. But you can order a BRAND NEW Tohatsu D motor this afternoon and depending on shipping have it race ready by this weekend. And, you can go into any Tohatsu/Nissan outboard dealer and buy off the shelf parts for it. Just some random thoughts. David.